A Beauty and his Beast
by WeirdBlackCat
Summary: For five years Kaname and his sister have lived peacefully in a small village after leaving their old life. That peace is shattered when Yuki stumbles into a mysterious castle in the woods and angers the Master of it. Sacrificing his freedom for Yuki's sake, Kaname finds himself a prisoner of a prince named Zero. (beauty and the beast retelling. KxZ)
1. Once Upon A Time

Disclaimer I don't Vampire Knight

~ Prologue ~

Once long ago, a young prince lived in grand castle. His grounds were vast and beautiful, filled with only the fairest nature could offer. But most lovely in all the gardens were his roses. They climbed the walls surrounding the prince's land, and bloomed in a deep crimson that almost reminded one of blood.

They were a breathtaking sight, one that tempted others to draw near and pluck a seemingly innocent rose for themselves, unaware of the sharp thorns that hide just beneath the sea of beautiful red. The prince's large castle was almost just as entrancing, huge and filled with wonderful things that only an impressive fortune could buy.

Though, if you were brave enough to step into this enchanting home, you would find it strangely silent and unwelcoming. For although beautiful, the castle was just as empty and cold as the master of it.

But it hadn't always been that way. The castle had once belonged to a royal family, a family that had been so loving and bright, their joy seemed to seep into the castle's very walls, filling their home with light.

But those days had long passed along with half of the family. Tragedy had struck them in the form of a vampire, killing the parents and tearing apart a once strong bond between siblings. One faded into the background, serving his brother in hopes of redeeming himself.

The other, the heir to the throne, alone and shrouded with darkness, slowly grew more and more bitter, hate festered in his heart with no one to stop it.

* * *

On a dark, chilly, winter night, wind blew strong and unforgiving on a hooded figure that unsteadily made its way up a large castle's steps. Finally reaching the top, the person beneath the cloak stopped to breath heavily for air, it was cold and burned their lungs but they showed no outward reaction other than shivering and drawing the fabric of their cloak tighter around themselves.

Hastily, the figure shuffled up to the large, heavy doors before them and raised a fist that began urgently knocking. A moment had barely passed before one of the doors was opened by a tall, intimidating man. He was a good foot taller than the hooded stranger and his right eye was covered by an eyepatch. The man stared down at the smaller with his one, steely blue eye, giving them a good once over before gruffly asking "Who are ya and what business do you have here so late at night?"

A young, petite girl with wide eyes peaked out of beneath the hood, shivering she said "P-Please, sir, I've lost my way and I have no where else to go! At least for the night, may I please stay in this castle til morning?" She whimpered as another gust of wind nearly swept her off her feet.

The man at the door was silent for a heartbeat but after a long sigh, he looked her up and down once more before finally meeting her eyes and saying (with no small amount of disgust and resignation), "I don't know how he'll take having one of your kind at his door, but stay here and moment and we'll see." With nothing more than that vague statement, he closed the door and the girl was again surrounded by the pitch blackness that had hugged her form before.

Less than a few minutes later, the door opened again and roughly, the man ushered her in. Her knees nearly gave out but a smile spread across her face, eagerly she stepped through the doorway and into a large, warm hall. She tugged the hood off and shook her pale hair from it.

A richly dressed, young man appeared to be in the process of walking towards her and was only paces away, but suddenly he stopped. Frozen, he studied her a few moments, his face unreadable for only a second before it grew rapidly dark with anger.

The man standing beside the girl appeared unsurprised and took a step towards the sidelines, scowling and shaking his head, lowly muttering something that sounded like "Tried to talk, tried to tell him, damn it...". A cool and barely controlled voice interrupted him and chilled the atmosphere, finally the young man spoke "What brings a _vampire_ to my castle?" The girl swallowed nervously, "I lost my way, my lord. Please, may I take shelter in your stables, at least? Only for a night."

Quickly, she reached beneath her cloak and presented a pearly white rose. "I have no money, but please take this in return." The handsome, young man stared at the rose in her hand. Many emotions flashed through his eyes but incredulity was strongest and it bubbled up out of him in the form of a bark of humorless laughter.

"I wouldn't allow a bloodsucking leech to sleep on my doorstep, much less my stables" he snapped "Especially for as little as a mere flower."

The hand holding the rose tightened til blood dripped from the clenched fist. With a quiet voice the girl said "Do not turn me away because of this body, my lord. For a beautiful soul can be found in even the lowest of beasts."

The young man's glare deepened with rage and snarling he said "Get her out of my castle! Never bring one of these monsters in my sight again, Toga." The man, Toga, huffed indignantly but heeded the order and reached forward to grab the female's arm. He never got the chance.

The cloak fell from the girl's body and instantly, light seemed to coat the surface of her skin. The brightness was so great, the young man and his servant had to shield their eyes. They only lowered them when finally, the blinding glare melted away. To their astonishment where once a young vampire girl stood, now a terrible but beautiful enchantress took her place.

The young man stared with wide, bulging, lavender eyes, he opened his mouth to speak but could find no words. The brilliant gaze of the enchantress rose to meet his. A long, pregnant pause followed until with a shaky voice, the man said "Forgive me, my lady. I thought- I mistook you for an animal in human's skin."

Apparently it was the wrong thing to say, her eyes narrowed dramatically and seemed to pierce into his very soul, "You have become far more hateful, Prince Zero. Now, I struggle to find even an ounce of love within you." the prince was taken aback, but even after regaining his composure he could give retort. What could he say? He couldn't defend himself, for she had just seen the worst of him. That's not to say Zero didn't have much he _wanted_ to say. He found quite a bit he wanted to scream, wanted to fling at her in defense of himself and his hatred. Wisely, he controlled himself. Instead, he floundered and struggled, trying to find a word to explain that wouldn't leave him even worse in her eyes, only to come up empty and defeated. So Zero gazed at her hopelessly, and with grief he couldn't explain to her nor himself.

The enchantress's heart almost softened looking at the wretched and miserable man. But the dark hatred in Zero poisoning his heart, hardened her resolve. "Now you shall be what you damned, a beast that you cursed. And even among them you shall be know as the lowest."

Toga leapt back in shock when a scream tore from Zero's throat. Suddenly the prince was clawing at his chest, tearing clothes as claws lengthened from the beds of his fingernails. Zero's blunt teeth were torn up from the roots and pushed out of his mouth by large fangs, that sliced his gums and cut through his lip when he bite down to hold back another shriek of pain. His human teeth fell to the floor, in their wake, blood drizzled down with them.

It wasn't just the prince, Toga was changing too. His body shrank in a way that made him feel like his bones were breaking and his limbs stiffening uncomfortably. All around the castle, servants were falling and shifting as he did.

Finally, agonizing minutes later, Zero lay trembling on the floor in his own blood. He looked up through blurry eyes as the enchantress stepped towards him. The woman held out the previously offered white rose, and this time, he took it. She straightened and taking it as a cue, Zero weakly drew himself up as well. "This rose shall bloom til your hundredth year. If you can learn to feel love once more and can be loved in return, by the time the petals have all fallen, you shall be human again."

A harsh glare darkened her face, "If not, you will slip from a 'filthy' vampire to the madness of a fallen one." With these foreboding words, as if she had never been there the enchantress vanished. The prince, clothing torn, covered in his own sticky blood, alone except for a clock a few feet away, began to shake.

He fell to his knees, partially because he was too weak to stand, partially because his form began to heave with sobs. Tears flowed down his face and he gripped the rose he now held so tightly, that thorns tore Zero's skin and he began to bleed. Suddenly his eyes flew open and snapped towards the few drops of blood the enchantress had let fall while disguised as a vampire. For the first time, his eyes burned crimson at the smell of blood.

'A monster, an animal. Filthy and evil. Who could ever love a beast?'

* * *

( **It is like twelve and I decided to rewrite this and I haven't edited it, I literally did this in the past hour so I'll probably regret it in the morning. Idk, if you are reading this it means I decided to keep the changes** )

* * *

 **What do you think? This has been done before but you never see a fic make Zero the beast and Kaname belle? I thought it was an under appreciated idea so I decided to write it. Kaname is going basically going to be Zero's knight in shining armor lol. It's going to be slow burn and I'm very excited!**

 **Please leave a review if you enjoyed I greatly appreciate any form of feedback. Thank you for reading!**


	2. Provincial Life

Disclaimer I don't own vampire knight

~Chapter 1~

Down a sunny, well-traveled path, Kaname Kuran walked with his young sister to the little town they lived in the woodsy outskirts of. They kept mostly to themselves in their small yet comfortable house, but every once in while he and his sister, Yuki, would visit the village to buy necessities or luxuries (which could range from books to sugary sweets for Yuki) that they couldn't obtain themselves.

Usually, Kaname went by himself but as much as Yuki loved the peaceful home they now had, every now and then she wanted to escape the cozy but lonely house for a little while. Luckily, she was good at persuading her brother to take her along.

Kaname tried to avoid allowing Yuki to come with him most of the time, he himself didn't care for making many trips into town. It was an environment far different from the bustling city they'd been raised in and the people living there were not used to the grace and high-class air that Kaname and to an extent, Yuki, displayed.

Five years ago Kaname had packed them up and moved them here after selling the little business he had inherited from their long deceased parents. He wanted to escape the aristocracy and suffocating streets of the city, and he wanted to bring Yuki somewhere she could freely thrive without the constantly watching and judging eyes. And if Kaname was being honest, escaping to the freedom of the countryside did him as much (if not more) good as it did Yuki.

If there was one thing that made city life more stressful, it was Yuki and Kaname's origins. Unknown to the general public, under a treaty, many vampires lived secretly and -to an extent-passively alongside humans. The Kuran family happened to make up a part of those vampires and were, in fact, one of the vampire families to most support the treaty's terms regarding peaceful relations between humans and vampires. Now, Kaname was the only remaining, vampire member of the Kurans. Yuki was a Kuran but a special case, though she was born a vampire her parents had managed to lock that side of her away in hopes that life would be made easier for her and future Kurans if she were human.

They were right to an extent, but even though Kaname loved them dearly, he couldn't completely agree with their decision or view. These days, were pureblood vampires were practically extinct, there weren't many vampires that stood out by name alone. But even though Kaname was a lower class vampire by older terms his family name was respectable enough and with his charm and brilliant mind, he'd began to make somewhat of a name for himself in vampire and human circles alike. Drawing attention to yourself didn't do you nor those close to you any good in the vampire world. They soon found that concealing the fact they were siblings was harder than first thought, and those that stuck their noses into Kaname's business found their close relationship suspicious, considering Yuki was no longer a vampire herself. So it was no lie that the sticky situation they had attributed to their decision to leave the city.

Luckily, this new, quiet, lifestyle had proven much more satisfactory for both Kaname and Yuki, compared to their stressful days in high-society. Both would say they didn't regret leaving their old lives behind. It was a little lonely but they were very close siblings and generally felt that they needed no one but each other.

It was barely mid-morning when the Kuran siblings arrived, but already the small town was busy and filled with working people. They walked over cobbled streets heading towards their first stop, briefly answering the murmured good mornings that were sent in their direction.

Kaname was solely focused on completing their errands and barely spared anyone even a glance, but Yuki, very much unlike her brother, let her attention wander freely. Thoughts filled with the activities and people around her. She was gazing excitedly and openly at a man pulling a cart of bright vegetables when one of the man's fellow villagers walked past and cheerfully called out a loud good morning to him, the man responded with a wave but neither stopped his business. Yuki's brow furrowed a bit as she looked around her brother and her. Many of the villagers greeted and waved at each other whether they appeared to know them or not. Was it weird that when she and her brother were spoken to the villagers were always so reserved? No one else seemed to talk to each other like that.

Yuki glanced at her brother to see if he noticed or cared about this fact at all, but like usual his face was passive and unaffected by everything around him. Almost fondly, she sighed, _'As expected of Kaname'_. Yuki had never quite managed to display the quiet aloofness and grace that her brother did, and she was almost envious. Nothing fazed him.

The smell of baked goods floated into the air through an open bakery door, Yuki immediately and gladly welcomed the distraction and sniffed eagerly in the direction of the heavenly smells.

Feeling a tug on his arm, Kaname looked down and was met with the sight of a hopeful, beaming face. He as well, smelt the bread and goodness-knows-what-other sugary baked treats but he put on a face of perfect ignorance and gave her an inquiring "Yes?".

Helpfully pointing at the nearby bakery, Yuki immediately said "Please? Just one thing?". Completely unconvinced, Kaname raised an eyebrow, "That's all you want? You don't want anything else today?" Yuki hesitated, she hadn't meant that was all she wanted for the _entire_ day.

"No books, no jewelry or anything else?" Kaname continued. Yuki blanched and gave him a long contemplating look before she finally broke down and gave in with a nod and sad sound of agreement.

A soft smile spread on Kaname's face (he wasn't completely without pity for her state) and he handed her a tiny pouch, resisting the urge to run his hand over her hair, "Alright, buy something for you and something for us to take home and eat later. I'd like to visit the book shop before we finish shopping, would you be fine on your own?" Yuki had smiled widely when he handed her the pouch but gave him an indignant, reproachful look at the last half of his sentence.

"Of course I'll be fine!" She spluttered, "I'm not a little kid..". Kaname held back a laugh as she sulked.

"I know, Yuki. But as your older brother I can't help but worry about you. You're important to me." He said kindly. Yuki flushed with embarrassment but nonetheless was appeased, not to mention rather pleased, "I-I'll be careful."

Unable to hold back this time, Kaname patted her head and gave her one last smile, before watching her practically skip towards the bakery. Inwardly he chuckled at her childish but endearing behavior, then turned and made his way to the book store just further down across the street.

The owner of the store, his name Takuma Ichijo, was actually one of the only few people Kaname'd really gotten to know since moving to the countryside, and he felt he could almost call him a friend. He was well aware of of the distance between the townspeople and his sister and him, it had been that way since the day they had arrived. But from the first time Kaname had stepped into Takuma's book shop, he was received so casually and cheerfully, he couldn't recall being treated the same way by anyone in his life.

A bell jingled as Kaname open the book shop's door and warm shout of welcome came from the other side of the room, causing an uncharacteristic burst of warmth to bloom in his chest. Yes, Kaname was indeed thankful for Takuma. Climbing down from a shelf, Takuma's face light up when he saw who had entered. "Kaname! It's been a while." Kaname nodded, unknowingly allowing a start of a smile to twitch on his lips, and he took out a book from the pocket of his coat, placing it on the nearby table, he said "Yes, I'm here to return a book."

"Yes, yes of course!" The blond librarian hummed, picking up the book he asked, "Did you bring Yuki with you?". Kaname, who had already begun scrolling the filled shelves, glanced back at Takuma and said "Yes, actually." Takuma had only met Yuki a few times but unsurprisingly, they had gotten along quite well.

Silently reading off book titles in his usual corner of the store, Kaname was slightly frustrated to find he had read them all. "Takuma," he began "Do you have anymore of this genre or another, that you think I might enjoy?" there wasn't anyone besides Yuki he trusted to know him better in regards to his taste in books.

Looking up from what he had been doing, a wide, amused grin spread on Takuma's face. "It looks like you've finally read the whole store, Kaname. Well, except for the fairytales and children's books." He amended. Kaname sighed and walked back to the front of the shop, "I suppose I shall have to make do with my own library at home then."

Suddenly, Takuma held up a hand and said with no small amount of excitement "Wait! Wait! I think I have something you actually might like to read!" With that he rushed to the back, and with only a little delay and rummaging, triumphantly returned holding a moderately thick book. He handed it to Kaname and the other took it, flipping through the first couple chapters.

Quickly he came to a rather obvious realization, and stated it by blandly saying "This is a fairytale." Clearly bemused, he raised an eyebrow and fixed Takuma with a questioning gaze.

"Don't look at me like that!" Takuma cried, "It's different from the typical ones (not that there's anything wrong with those). For one, the love interest is technically a villain!" He crossed his arms, obviously set on convincing Kaname that reading the book would be worth his while. "You don't have to love it but this one was very good, I wouldn't recommend it otherwise. And if you really don't find it interesting, I'm sure at least Yuki will enjoy it."

Resisting the urge to rub his temples, Kaname finally gave in, after all, it was the type of book Yuki liked. "How much?"

Takuma rapidly shook his head, "No, no, in honor of finally reading all of these books, this one you can have for free."

Kaname's eyebrows shot up, "Takuma, I couldn't-" he began to protest, but his opposition was immediately waved away by Takuma, "I insist. Think of it as a gift, from your friend." He said, eyes twinkling. Turning away to busy himself with an untidy drawer at the desk behind him, he added "Really, this town doesn't have much bookworms. So it's nice to have someone like you around to read these neglected novels." _'and visit me.'_ Was left unsaid.

Knowing there was no point trying to argue further, Kaname just nodded and said, with as much feeling as he could "Thank you. Thank you very much." Despite not being sure he got a book he was entirely happy with, Kaname left the shop in high spirits.

~•~

Ahead, at the mouth of the market, the eldest Kuran was mildly surprised to see Yuki conversing with a trio mildly familiar to him. Ruka Souen, Akatsuki Kain, and Hanabusa Aido, were a small group Kaname had found himself "chatting" with on several different occasions, when he had been visiting on his own.

He wouldn't call them friends, maybe acquaintances. They didn't treat him in the same standoffish, respectful way the other townspeople did but he wondered if the way they chose to see him was really an improvement.

To be frank, they seemed to worship the ground the Kuran siblings walked on. At least Ruka and Hanabusa did, Akatsuki had little to no interest in them beyond distant acknowledgement and respect. Through their previous talks Kaname discovered that they were all cousins, so perhaps that had something to do why Kain chose to tag along with them, even at the extent of his pride when they did or said embarrassing things.

Hearing him approach, Yuki's gaze shifted to his direction. Instantly her face light up with a bright smile and she called out "Kaname!". Hearing her joyful exclamation, three heads turned to see Kaname greet his sister with not-so-subtle delight.

After giving Yuki a quick kiss on the forehead, he looked down at the many parcels in her arms. "I take it the bakery had too many delicious baked goods to resist?" He teased, Yuki blushed, "No! I mean, they're not all from the bakery!" She helplessly gestured to the group behind her, "They were helping me buy some of the things we needed."

Raising his eyebrows just a fraction, Kaname asked "They?", Yuki turned a shade darker as she realized how unintentionally rude she had been. Hurriedly clearing her throat, she stepped back to properly present the three to Kaname, "This is Hanabusa Aido, Ruka Souen, and Akatsuki Kain. I met them on my way here and they offered to help me."

Kaname nodded politely and said, "I believe we've talked occasionally. Thank you for kindly assisting my sister." Flustered, Aido rapidly waved his hands, looking more like a chicken than he probably intended, saying "It was nothing! We were just passing and saw where she was headed. I figured she might not know the best places or prices, I mean, just because she doesn't seem to visit town very often (at least from what I've seen, not that that's a bad thing) so-" He broke off with a small "Oof!", curtesy of Ruka digging her elbow into his side and shooting him a vicious look that clearly meant 'shut up'.

Aido scowled but admittedly embarrassed by himself as well, quickly closed his mouth and allowed Ruka to step in, "It's good to see you again, Sir. Helping Yuki was no trouble at all. Your sister is just as gracious as I'd expect from someone treasured by you." She said admiringly. Her manner clearly showing that she hoped to come across as prim as possible.

A forced smile stretched Kaname's face and he was barely able to keep it from looking as uncomfortable as it felt, "Thank you, Miss Souen, I appreciate the courtesy you've extended to my sister. I'm afraid we can't talk much longer but perhaps in the near future we could arrange a longer meeting to properly thank you." Inclining his head to them, he took Yuki's hand. Akatsuki politely nodded back as his cousins hastily attempted a bow and curtsy respectively. Realizing that was her cue,Yuki hurriedly said goodbye and let Kaname lead her down the street.

Not seconds before they were out of sight, Hanabusa was already practically swooning and gushing with awe "Isn't he majestic?" and "He exudes this-this air of _power_!".

Ruka enthusiastically agreed, "Kaname Kuran is like fresh air in this old, boring town.". If Ruka and Aido ever found themselves chatting about something they were of the same opinion on (which was thankfully a rare occurrence), there wasn't anyone or anything that could stop the two once they got going. And the eldest Kuran being a god in human form happened to be one of the things they agreed on.

A conversation about Kaname had the potential to go on for hours, Akatsuki knew from experience, so as much as it pained him to interrupt the fascinating sight of Ruka and Aido getting alone, he decided to try and redirect the direction the evening was going in by bringing up their recent encounter with the other, less adored Kuran. "His sister seems nice, if not a little absentminded. What do you think of her?" Akatsuki's voice was casual but held a slight edge of genuine curiosity.

Apparently Ruka hadn't given the girl much thought at all, for she only blinked a bit before saying "She's... fine. Although nothing compared to Kaname." She added almost haughtily.

"She's better than most girls around here though." Aido said almost sneakily, glancing at Ruka who gave him a dark glare. "But there really is just something about Kaname," He dreamily continued "He's so cultured, intelligent and graceful." Offense quickly chased away by daydreams of Kaname, Ruka gave an understanding hum.

Unable to help himself Akatsuki sarcastically chimed in "And those big, beautiful eyes." Eyes still a little glazed over, Hanabusa didn't fully register his cousin's sarcasm and just nodded lazily in utter agreement. Ruka, did however, and gave him a deeply insulted frown before turning away. Akatsuki couldn't bring himself to be offended, but he did sigh with half-amusement and half-exasperation at his cousins' sometimes frustrating (and/or embarrassing) nature.

~•~

Silently walking behind her brother, several times Yuki attempted to work up the courage to ask Kaname a question that occurred to her when they left Aido and his cousins behind. But each time she had backed out with the fear that he might be upset by it. It wasn't necessarily important -nor rude for that matter- but she couldn't help but feel curious.

Yuki switched from gazing at the back of his head contemplatively, to sighing and glancing around at the passing people and buildings instead. Her question most likely wasn't worth bothering Kaname over in the first place. She let her eyes wander over the streets, taking them in slowly. It really was a nice town, charming and generally friendly, which couldn't be said about the city… she really did like it here but… her eyes gravitated to the stones of the street and she let out another tired breath.

Hearing yet another sigh from his sister, Kaname's brow furrowed and he looked over his shoulder to gaze at her with concern. "Yuki, is something wrong?" The sudden sound of his voice startled Yuki and she jumped a little while looking back to him.

"What? Oh! No, I'm fine." Was her flustered reply. Completely unconvinced, Kaname slowed the pace of his steps down and took her hand in his so she could walk more easily beside him.

"What's the matter?" He softly asked again. Yuki pressed her lips together and fiddled uncertainly with his hand.

"Um, well," She paused before continuing "Have Aido and the others done something… wrong?"

The confusion Kaname felt bled over onto his face "What do you mean?"

"I-it kinda seemed like you wanted to get away from them, so I thought maybe.." Yuki trailed off weakly, already she regretted saying anything.

Kaname stared at her a moment, but then he smiled slightly and shook his head, "No, not exactly." Her expression morphed into one of confusion, seeing this Kaname started to explain "I did rather want to get away from them sooner than later, however mostly for your sake. Though It's a lie to say that I myself don't find their antics somewhat tiring."

Yuki felt a bit lost but it was too embarrassing to ask Kaname to break down his words for her. Honestly, sometimes it felt like Kaname expected her to just understand his thoughts without explanation. So feeling shy and slightly idiotic (even if it wasn't her fault), Yuki silently waited, hoping he would elaborate. Luckily, Kaname wasn't done talking after all, "I don't want you to think any less of them because of my opinion, Yuki." He said kindly, "They aren't bad people, but even if they are friendlier than the other villagers, they don't treat you and I normal as they should."

As if to make sure she was still following and understood what he was saying, Kaname cast a searching look over her face. Quickly, Yuki nodded to show she was still listening. Apparently satisfied, Kaname smiled and continued "I have faith that you wouldn't get caught up in their flattery," his face sobered a little "I'd just like you to have friends that don't treat you differently because of our upbringing."

Gently, Kaname squeezed her hand and almost pleadingly he asked "You understand that I don't dislike or bear any ill will towards Aido and his cousins?"

For the most part, Yuki understood what her brother was trying to say and it was clear he only wanted to protect her, though it still remained uncertain to her whether or not this was the best way. Privately, she felt that if Aido or Ruka didn't see her as a normal person just like them then she should be befriend them, _show_ them she wasn't that different nor should they treat her so, not push them away and appear further out of reach. But nevertheless, Yuki said none of this, and gave him a smile, saying "I do understand."

Relief flickered like brief sparks in Kaname's eyes, for a moment his face was a mirror image of her sweet one before the neutral expression he wore like a mask slipped back into place. "Shall we finish up our trip?" momentarily Kaname had forgotten about the original reason they came into town but now that he was remembering, he was eager to get this trip over and done with so they could return to their quiet, far less stressful home.

Enthusiastically Yuki agreed, so they decided to head towards the last store they needed to visit (since Yuki and the small group of cousins had already picked up what they needed from the market), an herbal shop. Yuki didn't quite understand herbs or what exactly they did, but once they decided to leave the city Kaname had started reading all sorts of books about things they'd have to be aware of when the conveniences they had there would disappear (apparently, herbs would be important). So they visited the shop because Kaname liked buying plants and whatever else that was related, there (he also said it ensured they could buy less in town). Occasionally he would pick up some random tea that he had read was healing or the like, mostly for Yuki's consumption, as for some reason Kaname had got the idea in his head that she felt out because she couldn't drink the wine that her brother favored.

But the main unsaid reason they went there, was mostly certainly the flowers and flower seeds. The herbal shop happened to sell these in abundance though not mainly. And Yuki, so happened to love growing flowers. She had her own flower beds around their cottage that Kaname had suggested she start growing from the start to keep herself preoccupied. Yuki adored the task almost as soon as she first started it, she loved her flowers and had even gone as far as to give her favorites (mainly the few she kept in the house) names.

Yuki claimed they kept her company whenever Kaname left or was busy, and as long as they kept her happy, Kaname continued to buy Yuki more and especially new flowers to grow. Yuki seemed to love all types of flowers-not yet encountering one she didn't like- but as much as she loved marigolds, pansies and many others; Fervently, Yuki would say that her favorite flower was and would always be roses, and someday she hoped to grow her own.

As always, Kaname kept his fingers crossed and prayed the herbal shop would have roses this trip, it never did but that was no reason to be pessimistic. Yuki was excited at the prospect of seeing any different flowers at all (this was actually the first time she had ever visited the shop), but as they approached the shop, Kaname felt a stab of frustration when he saw the last person he wanted to meet loitering around in front of it.

A character Kaname had rightly pegged as unpleasant from the moment he saw him; Rido. He was highly favored and had a gross number of admirers Kaname soon found, for what reason he couldn't fathom. He personally wouldn't trust the man as far as he could throw him. He was too much like the slimy type he and Yuki often encountered in the city.

True, he rarely crossed paths with Rido but each time was more vexing than the last. He was one of the reasons Kaname disliked bringing Yuki with him when he came into town, he'd caught Rido looking at Yuki from afar before and Kaname wasn't a fool, he knew what the looks meant and they sparked protective and murderous instincts alike in him. There couldn't have been a worse time to have Yuki with him than now.

Noticing how tense Kaname had suddenly become (how could she not?), Yuki looked curiously towards the man who had came into view and seemed to be causing it. He was a tall man (taller than Kaname) and his wild-looking brown hair was so dark it was almost black. Combined with his large form and oddly mismatched eyes; all in all he made a such an intimidating figure that Yuki couldn't help staring a little. He should have been very handsome and in a way he was, but the strange gleam in his eyes, the way his features would _twist_ unpleasantly whenever his face moved, was so off putting Yuki found it hard to focus on anything good looking about him.

As they approached, the man happened to glance in their direction. As soon as Rido caught sight of them a shrewd smile (perhaps intended to be charming) curved his lips. Cold shivers ran down Yuki's spine and Kaname's hand squeezed her's tighter. His outer appearance was nonchalant and he kept walking. Yuki followed his example, as he seemed intent on just passing by the strange man. But in only seconds, Rido had intercepted them with a smooth greeting on his lips "A fine morning isn't it, Kaname." Kaname mentally winced at the use of his name but Rido hadn't finished "I see you've brought your sister with you this trip. I don't believe we've been introduced?" the last bit was directed towards Yuki and his smile took on a strange edge as he turned to study her intently.

Uncomfortable, instinctively Yuki tried to subtly inch behind her brother. Kaname's expression tightened but he kept a firm hold on his self control and replied "What a pleasant surprise to see you again, Rido, you're rarely out and about this time of day." No indeed he wasn't, from what Kaname knew, Rido could usually be found at the bar, every night if rumors were to be believed. "No I don't believe you have been. This is my sister, Yuki Kuran." His voice was pleasant enough but inwardly, his thoughts were taking a darker path.

Too fast for anyone to stop it, Rido's hand shot out and grasped hers, bringing it to his lips for a light kiss, "How nice it is to finally _formally_ meet you, Yuki." His voice was a disgusting layer of oil that suffocated everything it seeping across. Yuki recoiled slightly and Kaname couldn't blame her, not with his own disgust steadily growing. But he did admire her ability to keep her composure when she politely responded that she felt likewise.

An out of place chuckle slipped through Rido's lips and he inquired "What are your plans for the day, if I may ask?"

Quickly, Kaname stepped in, saying "We're just finishing up our errands and then I believe we'll be on our way."

Rido's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Kaname but the dark look lasted only seconds before his gaze returned to Yuki and he said, with a smile that was really more of a leer, "That's a shame, you ought to stay longer sometime. You'll never properly enjoy the town's charms visiting only the market or bookshop. Perhaps you should start with the tavern, I certainly wouldn't mind showing you around if you need an escort."

Again, his words were obviously for Yuki, who desperately glanced towards her brother for help. Livid at Rido's blatant attention to his sister, Kaname came to her rescue. "I'm afraid we don't have the time today." And he said this so firmly there was no room left for argument, "We have one more place to visit and it's just ahead but it was wonderful to talking to you before we left, Rido." His voice lingered darkly over his name.

Rido's lip curled slightly in the makings of a snarl but his voice never strayed from eerily polite "I see. We'll have to leave more room for chatting next time, Yuki." He gave her what should have been a playful wink if he weren't who he was, ignoring the growing glare on Kaname's face. Giving a swift almost mocking nod towards Kaname, he concluded with "Until then.". Excusing himself- with a manner predatory- Rido strolled away.

Subconsciously Yuki's body had tensed the entire time spent in Rido's presence but finally with a sigh of relief, she relaxed. "Who was he?"

A grimace replaced the almost-scowl that had taken up residence on Kaname's face, "Someone I hoped you wouldn't meet. His name is Rido."

Taken aback by his disdainful tone of voice, she asked "Is he really that awful?"

He briefly hesitated, wondering if it was wise to reveal every suspicious thing he'd ever heard involving Rido. Deciding it wasn't necessary to worry her further, he simply said "I can't say for certain that everything I suspect is true, so I can't completely condemn his character. But I do ask that you avoid him if you can."

Mismatched eyes flickered back into her mind. The feeling that coated Yuki's insides with sickly unease crept back up and a sudden rush of goosebumps made her shiver, "I will."

Sighing, Kaname took her hand again. It hadn't been his intention to scare her only to warn her, but it appeared he made her anxious. He gave her a soft smile "Let's finish so we can go home." Yuki smiled back and sweetly agreed, she'd certainly had enough of the town for now. And Kaname thought about how odd life was, that he'd gone from constantly living in and even to an extent, enjoying a bustling city, to not being able to stand a morning in a small village.

* * *

 **I rewrote this one too**

* * *

 **A bit long but I'm somewhat happy with it. I'm basing this off of several different retellings and the original story while adding my own twist so I hope that works out. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited or followed. I appreciate it all (but especially the reviews). Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer I don't own vampire knight or beauty and the beast

~Chapter 2~

As was becoming somewhat customary, evening found Yuki and Kaname seated near the hearth as the elder read aloud. This habit had begun almost a year ago, when one night, Yuki found herself unable to sleep and so had stayed up beside her brother. Having, driven by boredom, taken a rare interest in what Kaname happened to be reading, tentatively asked him to read a chapter to her. And he had. Surprising both of them, they had found it relaxing and enjoyable, and so had continued the comfortable practice every now and then when the mood struck.

Admittedly, Yuki wasn't always particularly enthusiastic about _everything_ Kaname chose to read with her, as his tastes were far different, and yet unfortunately for her preferences, he was the sole one of the two in possession of a large number of books and so it was his collection they had to choose from. But then, she also claimed that listening to Kaname read was half of the fun anyway and so she was fine and never dissatisfied.

But this night was different for both, instead Kaname had presented the fairytale received from Takuma and in the face of Yuki's curiosity and delight, Kaname reluctantly agreed to give it a chance. He had mixed feelings while reading it but he withheld his opinion until the current chapter they were on was finished and Yuki expressed her thoughts on it.

And when finally reaching that point, with no surprise he found that, naturally, she had been enthralled from the very beginning. As was usually the case when it came to fantasy stories she read, though Kaname couldn't help but tease her for it. "I am glad that you have enjoyed it so far, Yuki. Though oddly, I notice you linger over the supernatural aspects most." He commented knowingly.

The tone of his voice made her wary and almost defensive but she replied, "I like it all of course! Its just that I, like anyone else, will always like and appreciate the magic of dragons and princesses that's all." She gave him quick assessing once over, as if hoping to discreetly see what he was getting at. But all that shown on the other's face was an unassuming smile that put her further on edge.

"Ah I see, so as long as it at least has a princess or dragon you're entertained?" Kaname asked innocently, Yuki flushed but defended herself "I don't just like it because it's a fairytale! I-I was also enthralled by the main character's kindness and forgivingness." Kaname's eyebrows raised and with some offense Yuki continued "She always sees the good in people and in the face of anything she can forgive. Aren't those admirable qualities?"

Kaname's expression of polite disbelief in her excuse didn't completely fade, but he quietly considered her question for a moment. Finally he said, "Yes, I suppose they are." Then looking a little more pensive and perhaps like he hadn't even meant to say it aloud, distractedly added, "Although, I would say, that even as it is considered kind, doesn't her forgiveness perhaps reach those who more often than not, don't deserve it?" Yuki seemed surprised at his reply and before she could stop herself, blurted "What do you mean?"

Carefully contemplating his answer, while mentally berating himself for saying it in the first place, Kaname prepared to say it in way as to not influence her own thoughts yet explain to her what he meant. "I recall, one of those she forgave committed terrible crimes, did horrible things, and yet without anything but his remorse she forgave them." Here he leaned forward as if particularly focused on the last part of his sentence, "Is she blinded by love and kindness or regardless, is remorse a worthy enough reason for redemption?" His tone was genuine, and curious about her answer, yet at the sudden change of atmosphere, for a moment Yuki was at a loss for what to say.

But after a long silent minute she carefully, hesitantly began "But if remorse isn't enough… is there anything else that ever will be?" At her words, Kaname looked truly taken aback and seeing he wasn't about to answer, Yuki went on "No matter what one does they can't change what's already happened, or take back what they've done, but then, they do those things because they're sorry."

She glanced at him in an attempt to gauge his reaction but the elder Kuran had regained his composure and his face has already reverted to its normal impassive state. "So…so I'm not certain, but I believe that maybe it's their remorse that's most important." She concluded. It would have been unnerving to not know his initial reaction had Yuki not been used to it, but it being as it was, she waited patiently.

Studying her carefully, Kaname became thoughtful and with slowly growing smile, said softly "I had never considered it from that point of view before. It's a rather mature way to see something, Yuki." Yuki flushed at the praise but smiled, then shifting to snuggle deeper into the sofa, asked "Well? What do you like most about it so far?"

Truthfully? Kaname found himself skeptical of the romance blooming between heroine and villain. The protagonist's warmth was supposedly slowly melting the hard heart of the antagonist to reveal something quite tender, and in turn the other's stubbornness and unshakable mentality gave him the persistence to worm his way into her heart. But was that really little more than whimsical and romantic thinking?

Was it not foolish to expect a heart of gold beneath any dark surface? Surely it was not wise to expose oneself so vulnerably to danger of deceit or evil beyond the point of saving. Unfortunately, Kaname felt the heroine was too trusting and naïve, but this time, instead of telling Yuki these things, he simply said, "I appreciate the writing of the Villain. He is displayed in a believable yet intriguing light, and I think it takes deep insight to write a good antagonist."

Yuki sighed and almost shook her head, it was what she had expected but she had hoped for a more plot focused answer. "Yes, but were there any moments you particularly enjoyed?" She pleadingly tried again, Kaname quirked an eyebrow but leafed through the book only to finally say "The father's speech about love and hate was rather impressive. It certainly sets a higher standard for other fairytales." Yuki groaned but reluctantly decided pursuing the subject was a pointless endeavor.

Catching her aggravated expression, Kaname chuckled and softly said "Don't let my teasing vex you, Yuki. And don't worry, I am enjoying the book and many of its moments immensely, or else I would not have continued it with you." Truthfully he would have kept reading either way as long as Yuki found amusement in it, but still, he didn't hate the book at all and really that was the only point he was trying to make.

"Now," Kaname said, pulling himself to his feet, "I see it has gotten later than I realized. You really ought to be in bed before too long." He placed the story neatly among the other books he kept on a little shelf in the room, then turned to observe Yuki hesitatingly rising from the sofa as well. She opened her mouth as though there were something she'd like to say but then changing her mind, closed it. She gave him a pleasant smile instead and moved to give him a quick hug and goodnight.

And Kaname thought about letting her do just that. Yuki clearly has something on her mind but if she wasn't ready to talk naturally he should wait, but the frustration and disappointment that shown through her eyes as she turned away, made him think better of his resolve. In a heartbeat he had lightly gripped her shoulder and gently, he asked "Yuki, is something the matter?" Startled from her thoughts, she looked back with wide eyes and stuttered "W-what?"

"What did you wish to tell me?" Said Kaname, and though hearing clearly this time, Yuki didn't react any better. She swallowed and her gaze darted away to fall upon everything and anything in the room that wasn't him. "It's fine! I'm feeling a little sleepy and you likely have things to do now. But I can talk to you tomorrow." She said evasively, but Kaname was not and would not be dissuaded.

"Yuki, please tell me." The words were soft and beseeching, pulling Yuki to finally look at him. Her brother's eyes were so pleading, and she was unable to stop herself from completely spewing the bottled up sentences. "Earlier today, as well as helping me at the market, Ruka, and in turn her cousins, told me about their great aunt! She said that her aunt liked to travel a lot but this time she was only visiting the city." With a sinking feeling, Kaname could tell exactly what Yuki was about to say next.

"Well apparently she told her aunt about you and I, and um- Ruka invited us if we're interested." She finished in one rushed breath. Kaname heaved a deep sigh and began to speak, only to be swiftly cut off by his sister as she said "I know! I know! But you don't have to go! I can go for both of us." Her tone was so hopeful and yet her face scared of what might be his reply, that Kaname just gazed tiredly at her a moment before asking with unnameable underlying emotion, "Do you want to visit the city?"

Yuki caught the real, intended question beneath, ' _do you miss the city?'_. She met his gaze with just as much intensity as he, and said without hesitation "Yes, I would like to _visit_ it." _'But I couldn't imagine living anywhere else but here, with you.'_ her lips curled into such a sweet smile that it reassured Kaname as much as her words. Resignedly he removed his hand and asked "When do you have to leave then?"

A delighted squeal flew from Yuki and she grasped his shirt to lean up and kiss his cheek without a seconds thought. And helpless to stop the small smile that graced his face, it made Kaname think, that perhaps… just perhaps her joy made up for the undoubtedly depressing time that would be spent alone while she was gone.

* * *

The couple weeks afterward, were busily spent preparing for Yuki's journey and taking short trips into town for anything she might need or packing the things she would want to take with her. For Kaname, it was both good and bad that this time flew by, the former being because he was kept busy and unable to agonize over Yuki leaving, but then on the other hand, the hours he normally spent with Yuki were significantly cut in half. Or almost cut out all together, as it felt to him.

It came to a point were Yuki was calling Kaname, the notoriously cool and collected, Kaname, a mother hen. And he had almost became one, he hovered over Yuki frequently, had several times asked her if perhaps she had thought about reconsidering the whole thing, and practically forced her to promise to not leave her companions's sides. It had driven Yuki to thinking that perhaps this trip was an even better thing for him than for her.

But soon the day of Yuki's departure had inevitably fallen upon them. Kaname had accepted her hug, kissed her goodbye and helped her on the horse he had recently acquired for her (specifically with her trip in mind), all the while, subtly threatening the small group of cousins she was traveling with, with what would happen should she not return safe and sound with them. But finally the luggage was loading into the lone carriage of the group (that both the aged aunt and the baggage shared), and they were on their way, waves and farewells still being shouted back.

Kaname stayed firmly in place until the small band of travelers had faded from view. Then, releasing a breath more tired than it sounded, he slowly made his way back to the little house. The home had never been anything but bright and warm to Kaname while he shared it with his young sister, yet as he stepped in, the house seemed far smaller than it ever had in five years.

Closing the door behind him, for the first time that day Kaname let his façade of false indifference crumble. Here alone in the dark, in a pathetic enough place, he could admit the house already felt unbearably cold and lonely. Very… very lonely.

* * *

Far, far away, within a dark looming castle, through passages, rooms and halls, to a deep chamber shut away decades upon decades before, there in the center of the room, lay a rose. Left for what could have been eons or years, given the layer of dust and ruin that covered every surface in the room but it. The many years already passed should have left the rose dead long ago, yet it appeared as full of blooming life as the day it was brought to the large castle.

Though darkly shadowed and shut away in the secluded chamber, no blackness could swallow up the pure white rose, and it almost seemed to emit a soft glow. Upon a glance, the rose was nothing significant. However, the longer one looked and studied it, the more eerie, the more ageless it became. It was spellbinding and had an ancient air to it. As it should have, as every year it aged further beyond a human's expected lifespan.

Year after year it lay in total darkness and solitude. That is, with the exception of one night at the beginning of each new start of the seasons. Those nights, creeping in, a figure, a prince, that could barely be seen in the dimness would examine the rose for any sign of change. And there was change. Every single year, a petal fell. There was a seemingly endless supply of these petals and it hardly affected the beauty of the flower, but that was not what tormented this prince.

The creeping terror lay with the many fallen petals scattered around it. It was ironic how beautiful they were when they represented the steady approach of something so horrible and bone chilling. But what was odd, was the strange way they turned to pearly glass the moment they were no longer a part of the main flower. It was an enchanted rose so reason and reality couldn't be expected to apply but still, the metaphor that seemed to lay behind the glass was foreboding.

With footfalls that grew heavier each time he left, the prince would leave and shut the room away once more. Gaining no satisfaction, but grim confirmation of what he already knew. Hope was a feeling long forgotten, so there was none to be dashed. He had resigned himself to the inevitable fate long ago, abandoning the bitter disappointment and grief he had originally felt, and in its place took cold empty apathy.

Because who, and how could anyone worth loving, ever come to care for a monster? Every year the rose prophesied his near doom and the little time he had was dwindling. Nothing short of crying to the heavens for mercy or miracle could be done. And that was something he refused to do when he knew there would be no answer.

The castle would crumble, the servants would perish and their prince would fall to madness as a mindless, despicable beast. The once strong, beautiful kingdom would finally and completely fall and fade away from history. No myth or legend would even remain in it's memory

* * *

Over the first half, their journey had started and remained a smooth affair. The road had been clear and bright, the cousins had bickered and joked, and throughout this early ride, cheery chatter rang happily out, casting a warm, positive glow and mood over the whole group. Yuki enjoyed the happy atmosphere to such a great extent, at a point she almost felt guilty.

She didn't want to appear as though she didn't love her life at the little house she shared with Kaname, because of course, she did. But it was so different, and unable to help it, Yuki enjoyed the light and carefreeness of these moments. They were something that in Kaname's company, was rarely offered.

With wholehearted truthfulness, Yuki was sure this trip was something she had needed for a long time. So settling her uncertain guilt, she determinedly forced herself to stop doubting the decision she made and set her heart on just enjoying the vacation while it lasted. The happy aura around the group (that steadily and strongly grew on Yuki) pleasantly and brightly continued on like this for a while longer.

As morning became noon and the hours steadily passed, the air became chillier and their way less visible. None the less they trudged on, soon entering a forest that the road led them through. But with the trees came a mist, and the mist steadily turned to thick fog. Promoting everyone to pull on their cloaks.

Kain called out to warn the rest to stay close that they might not lose one another, a possibility he said was quite likely and dangerous in an unfamiliar wood. Unsurprisingly, the happy feelings of that morning were lost, the gloomy situation draining them out of the group far faster than they had come. It put an edge of unease in Yuki and she quietly urged her horse on, desperate to keep up with the others.

It was inevitable that at some point through the ride, unluckily Yuki found herself at the back of group. She was the least experienced and by far with her passiveness, the easiest to be pushed back there. Though it was almost impossible to tell where anyone was through the fog. She also had a slight issue keeping complete control over the horse she had only recently been acquainted with. And her unease and lack of assertiveness in the situation, were by no means having a positive affect on the problem and horse below her.

The trees that had once been clearly visible were now replaced by a wall of white. And the swiftness is this transition almost scared Yuki, even her companions were becoming a little fuzzy in her field of vision and they were only feet ahead of her! Was this normal? She had never seen such fog before and now with a looming fear, she almost wished it was a sight she had continued to be spared.

To everyone's dread, night had to fall eventually and visibility went almost totally with it. Yuki listened to the instructions shouted out but could almost swear they were less loud than they had previously been. Not that she could tell they actually were and so just assumed her mind was playing tricks on her in her agitated state. And agitated she was. The young girl couldn't see her own hand in front of her face much less her fellow travelers. Only now she was yearning to have Kaname's familiar, comforting presence at her side, to tell her it was all alright and ease the anxiety she felt.

But he was not there and embarrassed by her own childish fear, Yuki grit her teeth, shoving down the tight tense feeling in her chest. If she ever wanted to stop being dependent on her brother, she had to stop thinking like that. Yuki tried to direct her attention to things other than terror of the black wilderness around her. For example, towards things like anger at her mare, as it stubbornly refused to heed her orders and pick up its pace. As well as things like forced fantasies and thoughts of how wonderful the city would feel after this night, how good rest would be and how tired she already was.

Past at least an hour, when Yuki ran out of distractions to busy her mind with, she was struck with a sudden chill shooting down her back. There was dead silence save for the sounds of her own horse's hooves hitting the ground, and she paled at the sudden realization. Through it all she had forgotten to listen for the clip clops and sound of the other riders and carriage. Fear seized her, tightening its grip in her throat and chest, making her breathing quicken and her heart beat savagely against her rib cage.

Alarm filling her senses, with swift motions Yuki gave her horse several sharp kicks, and after a short start on surprise the mare burst into a hard run. The brunette clung to reins and cried out, partly in surprise and partly because she had been beginning to prepare to call out for anyone. Anyone that could answer.

Too dark and foggy to know where to direct her horse, it wasn't long before they were charging into, then through the trees. Branches from either side slapped against Yuki's face and blindly she tried to swat them away, while still holding on to her horse for life. Scratches and cuts began to show up scattered across her arms and just about anywhere else in reach of tree branches and brush. Before long her cloak and once clean and lovely dress were torn beyond hope of decent repair.

Yuki's fear didn't die but she got ahold of her panic and after coming her senses, she began struggling to stop her horse or at least get her to slow down. It was no easy task and Yuki was a petite young girl who hadn't the strength that most country woman gained from working, but after careening through more trees they finally burst into a more open area midst the woods.

There the horse slowed down and came to a gentle trot. Soon her poor rider had her walking again. But Yuki's momentary relief was shattered by the realization that she didn't have the slightest clue where she was or how to get back to the road. Her gaze darted around as she tensed up again. Should she attempt to retrace her steps? Or would just heading in that general direction be enough?

Never before had Yuki been utterly alone and unsure what to do. Only the dark and eerie sounds of the forest surrounded her and the horse. Turning and twisting in the saddle she considered her options, and the final conclusion she drew wasn't quite comforting though decisive. With a slight jab of the heels (no where near the strength of the kicks she gave earlier) and tug of the reigns, she turned and urged her stubborn ride towards the direction she assumed she must have came.

The woods wasted no time proving to Yuki it would be harder to leave than it had been to enter. Yuki came upon many places of brush she knew they had no hope of crossing alone, so with nothing better to try, she attempted to forge paths around the obstacles. At first there was no sign of her making a wrong turn or a misjudgment anywhere, but as time dragged on, in the back of her mind Yuki came to be able to silently admit; she truly were on the right path, she would have been back by now.

Seemingly endlessly she searched and rode on, her initial terror faded, as she was too tired to even try and keep it alive. And in its place took exhaustion and obsession with nothing but the thought of rest. Yuki's eyes fell into a sneaky pattern of trying to slid shut whenever she forgot to fight hard to keep them wide and open. Though her shivering did help keep her tense and unable to relax enough sleep. It was almost unnaturally cold, especially for that time of year. The little wind there was seemed to blow the chill through her, straight into her core. And paired with the fact her clothes were torn and let in the icy-cold with open arms, she was sure it wouldn't be long before she simply died of hypothermia.

But she kept going, she knew she had to. Yuki forced herself to think of Kaname and how he would be completely alone without her, and Aido and the others would surely be worried sick over where she might have gone, not to mention Kaname had subtly threatened to dismantle them if she didn't come back. At this Yuki was able to make herself crack a small smile, her brother was over protective but now the concern and affection she was sure he must be feeling for her gave her an even greater desire to continue searching no matter how fruitlessly, for the road.

There was no way for her to tell what hour it was but after a time the trees began to thin, and a cleared path emerged among them. It was not the road she had lost earlier and it was significantly smaller, but still she rejoiced when she found it. It had to lead somewhere and most likely somewhere with people who could help, so with that in mind she eagerly made her horse follow it.

Faster than she had dared to hope, it had indeed led somewhere. But as large gates took vague shape in the darkness, Yuki felt the familiar tingles of fear. This hadn't been the town or perhaps simple house she had expected, but there was no where else to go and her horse was almost spent as was she. So slowly and tentatively she approached the gates, sliding off her horse to lead it behind her, Yuki outstretched her arm and gave the heavy mental gates a hesitant knock.

The volume of the knock was obnoxiously loud in the still night air, and it made her wince. But there was no reply or sign that it had been heard, and after the long pause that followed Yuki was getting ready to knock again, when suddenly one of the gate doors swung open, making her jump back in surprise. Her heartbeat became rapid at the shock and she could feel it pounding in her ears, but before she could change her mind she forced herself to walk quickly through the gate, and her horse plodded in behind.

It was still hard to see despite there being much less fog here, but Yuki could tell that the structure looming ahead of her was enormous. Almost a castle if she didn't know any better. Conveniently, she was able to find a stable nearby and hastily she deposited her horse in it, removing the saddle and taking care of what needs the horse had that she could.

But doing these things as fast as she could, as she was ready and desperate to finally be in a warm building. When she sure the mare was comfortable, she pulled herself up the front stairs of the stony castle and in her tired state they felt like miles, but at last she reached the large doors and knocked as she had at the gates.

Like the gates these doors also opened, seemingly on there own, and if Yuki hadn't been so exhausted she might have found it more scary and as unnatural as it was. But she only stepped into the large hall that the doors opened to, and called "Hello?" There was no answer. "Please, I don't mean to intrude but I'm lost and have no where to stay."

The doors shut loudly behind her and she jumped and spun around with a yelp. No one was there. The brunette had the sudden desire to rush out, to try and sleep in the stables beside the horse she had come with. But swallowing hard, she mustered the courage to stay where she was. There had been no answer to her calls and Yuki could not recall seeing any other animals in the stable besides her horse, perhaps if she was fortunate, whoever lived here was traveling.

With no other choice, Yuki peeked cautiously into the nearby rooms but focused on making her way up the large staircase to second floor, where to her quiet delight she almost immediately found an empty bedroom. Her first instinct was to throw herself onto the large bed in the middle of the room, but Yuki managed to stop and remind herself that she had to keep looking for the owner of the large home. It wouldn't be polite nor safe to sleep in stranger's house without permission. Yet the big bed in the middle of the room still looked so soft, and she was suddenly reminded of how exhausted she currently was.

The young Kuran felt as though she could barely stay standing. Unable to resist the sweet promising calls of the fluffy bed, she told herself she would merely rest her eyes upon it for a few blissful minutes before she continued looking for signs of another person in the castle. Contrary to her resolution, Yuki was asleep the moment her stressed, overexerted head hit the pillow.

* * *

 **The first half is a hot mess. I sincerely apologize for that. The rest fortunately doesn't make me want to tear my eyes out, I can only hope you feel the same lol. Thank you so much to everyone who reviews favorites or follows (especially those who review) it is all appreciated. The characters are meant to be a little different but hopefully they aren't unrecognizable, please tell me if that's the case. Thanks for reading and please tell me your thoughts!**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own vampire knight

~Chapter 3~

When Yuki woke to light streaming through a large window and shining down on her face, she immediately cringed and recoiled. After a moment she blearily opened her eyes. The brightness bothered her sleep addled senses and Yuki made a small noise of irritation and discomfort before rolling over and burying her face in a silk pillow, trying to escape the annoying light that signified it was time to get up. But to her dismay the warm clutches of sleep had already withdrawn, completely abandoning her, so with a sigh, Yuki sat up slowly rubbing her eyes.

Blinking a few times to make the world come into focus, the brunette gave a small start of surprise when she found herself in a room that clearly and shockingly wasn't hers. The surprise of this chased away any lingering sleepiness and the events of yesterday came flooding back to her. Yuki blushed with embarrassment and a little shame as she remembered how she had just fallen asleep in the room, she hadn't found the owner or anyone either. And that led to another worry, did they know Yuki was here? If so, did that mean she was welcome because she wasn't thrown out? 'Or perhaps,' she thought, suddenly feeling a little wary 'The house was owned by dangerous people.' It made sense to her for a person who did something awful like human trafficking or murder, to not care that much if a defenseless person was found sleeping in their home. If it was a psychopath or something worse perhaps they meant to harm her and that was why they weren't throwing her out yet. The thought had her hurriedly springing off the bed even as a more rational part of her brain assured her that the likelihood of that happening was extremely low and she probably shouldn't let the stories she read affect her imagination so strongly.

Glancing warily around at the room, Yuki finally noticed a covered tray on the small nearby table that she hadn't before. With wide eyes, she approached it and carefully lifted the covering. Instantly her senses were assaulted with the delicious smell and sight of a lovely plate of potatoes, an omelet and a small arrangement of fruit. Not to mention a steaming cup of black tea. To say that Yuki was bewildered would be an understatement, she was floored. Someone had found her, a stranger sleeping in their home, and hadn't woken or questioned her immediately but instead served her breakfast?

On one hand, she was relieved that whoever they were they weren't enraged, on the other, she couldn't help still being a little suspicious. She stared down at the meal hesitantly biting her lip, not sure whether it was really alright to eat it, but her stomach gave a loud rumble and it seemed her decision was made for her. Coming to this conclusion, she sat down and gave a small word of thanks before digging into the wonderfully prepared food. It was every bit as good as it looked and she enjoyed it immensely, though while dreading the end of the meal when she would have to finally leave the room she couldn't focus on it as much as she would have liked. But the meal did finally end despite her attempts to draw it out savoring the food, and Yuki mentally prepared herself to face whoever was waiting for her. She grimaced when she took a quick peek of herself in the dresser mirror, she was still the mess she was last night but sadly worse because she had slept while one. Unfortunately, Yuki only had time to fuss with her hair a little before she was taking a deep breath and stepping through the bedroom's door.

The hallway was as empty as it had been the night before but it was brighter now and Yuki could actually see the portraits and other few fine features spread across its walls. Thinking back to the way she had come last night, Yuki turned to head back to the large hall first, hoping she wasn't too late to catch the master of the castle at their own breakfast. The night before Yuki was too exhausted to really take in her surroundings but now well rested she couldn't help but admire with unconcealed awe, how big and beautiful the castle was. And she was certain beyond a doubt that it couldn't be called anything but a castle now, it's sheer size alone (not to mention design) spoke of that much. Cautiously Yuki descended the stairs and approached the door she was sure led to the dining room.

After hesitating for five minutes she knocked and opened the door, the brunette did indeed find that she was correct about it being the dining room however, there was no one in the room nor any sign that there had been. Yuki sighed heavily as she stepped away from the empty room, letting the door swing shut. Now she was growing less concerned about confronting the owner of the castle and more concerned about whether she would be able to find them or not. She was at a loss what to do or where to go next ( and she certainly did not want to just search the person's home), so she walked aimlessly back to the middle of the entrance hall.

She stood there letting the minutes crawl by, her gaze constantly sweeping the hall, going from the brilliant staircase, to the side doors, to the large doors behind her that opened to the world outside. Slowly she grew tenser, the details of the house becoming less brilliant and more intimidating. As tempting as it was to just leave right then and there, it didn't feel right to not even thank the person who had allowed her to stay, but then again searching their home felt just as bad. How she wished Kaname was here, he always seemed to know what to do in whatever situation he faced. Not to mention she would feel so much calmer with his presence near her. But Kaname wasn't here, and for the first time, she would have to learn how to deal with problems by herself.

It hadn't worked last night but Yuki supposed it couldn't hurt to try and call out for someone again. So with nothing better to try and much more self-conscious than before, Yuki hesitantly yelled "Hello?" Her voice echoed obnoxiously in the hall making her cringe, but with no choice, besides continuing she went on "I…I'm sorry for the way I intruded last night. Thank you for letting me stay!" The same as before no one replied and slowly the echoes faded away leaving her in total silence once more. Yuki shivered, her failure making her feel small and somewhat ridiculous. Her gaze darted around the hall once more, she noticed that it had been almost too dark to see in during the night but even if it was daytime now, it was still very dim.

A permanent gloom seemed to hang over the place as well. In fact, although it was a beautiful sight, the whole castle was beginning to unnerve her. It was too quiet and empty, it seemed to be clean yet there wasn't a sign of life to keep it that way and the food had appeared out of nowhere almost like the structure itself. Suddenly she felt a ridiculous urge to compare the castle to a corpse. She had attended a funeral with her brother before and the eerie sight of the deceased person dressed up and tidily put away in a coffin had unnerved her. That memory was what came to mind now and it refused to leave. It was like that corpse, dead but giving you the feeling that it would never decay.

Fear and unease began to rise in her. Rude or not, Yuki couldn't bring herself to stay there another second. Turning on her heel while unthinkingly choking out a small apology, she speedily walked to the large exit, jerking one of the doors open just enough and slipped through. Only when the last fold of her cloak disappeared, did it close with a quiet bang.

Feeling only slightly better as she was embraced by bright sunlight, she ran down the castle steps as fast as she dared, looking around wildly and trying to locate the stable that she had left her horse in. Even though she had only seen it in the dark it wasn't hard to find again and she rushed to it, almost dying of relief when her eyes were greeted with the sight of her four-legged companion safe and well. The mare whinnied as she approached, Yuki smiled shakily. Somehow the presence of another living creature was comforting. Patting the horse, she noticed a bucket of water that hadn't been there last night. Eyes widening, she saw that not far away was also a pile of hay. Apparently, she wasn't the only one found and fed.

A chill crept up her neck as the foreboding feeling returned in full force. She saddled her mare as fast as possible with shaking hands and led her out of the stable. Yuki felt guilty for not being as grateful as she was frightened but the lack of people was ominous and overwhelming the thankfulness she did feel. As soon as she was in the saddle Yuki urged her horse into a trot and set a steady pace moving away from the magnificent castle. The sun was up so the previously shrouded grounds were now visible and a truly impressive sight to behold, one anyone would have stopped to gawk at for at least a moment. However, Yuki didn't slow down to admire them even though with the quick glances she took, she knew they were quite beautiful. Fear pressed Yuki on and she barely took in her surroundings, besides what was in front of her. The only foliage that she paid attention to was the greenery across the walls and gates ahead. And that she couldn't help, as apparently, the owner of the grounds and castle had wanted a very bright and large amount of the flowery plants along their border.

Nearing the gates, the lush vegetation growing up the walls became clearer and more eye-catching with every step. Yuki's breath caught when she finally made out what the plants were. Roses. Beautiful, deep red roses. It was a flower she had wanted to grow herself for heaven knows how long, yet these were far superior to any roses she had ever seen herself before. In her awe of the crimson petaled flowers covering the stone wall like an endless ocean, she forgot her agitation and reason for fleeing the large castle behind her. Instead, she drank in the impressive sight before her with her jaw dropping slightly.

While she had been able to keep her gaze from wandering and losing itself among the lovely gardens on her way out, she couldn't break away from the spellbinding beauty of these roses. Yuki had the sudden urge to stroke one of the flowers, and so guiding her horse to the edge of the wall, that's exactly what she did. Gently she ran her finger up a soft petal, it was like silk. A gleam suddenly lightened her eyes, a gleam of desire. She hadn't been able to complete her journey to the city but perhaps, just perhaps the trip wasn't a loss after all. 'It was only one rose of course,' she thought distractedly 'Surely there was no one who would mind.' Quivering slightly, she leaned a little ways off her horse and stretched out her arm to pluck a large, vibrant rose, just out of her reach.

The moment her fingers closed near the green base of the flower, she gave a sharp cry of pain and jerked her hand back to her chest faster than if she'd been burned. Yuki whimpered looking down at her finger and saw it was bleeding slightly, she had been harshly pricked by a thorn. The magic hold the roses had seemed to have over her broke then and she gave the rose she had intended to pick a look of betrayal. All roses had thorns, she knew that obviously but these were apparently huge and abnormally sharp to match the beauty of the flower itself. She gave the blood dripping from her finger a concerned glance. They had to be because no normal rose could pierce the skin that badly.

Suddenly Yuki's world lurched and she had barely a moment to be confused before she was flying then falling through the air, the next moment hitting the ground hard. She lay there stunned, the breath knocked out of her, her horse, however, was going berserk. Agitated the mare galloped a good ways away, tearing away from the gates and the steadily nearing cold, dark aura. Still disoriented, Yuki clumsily stumbled to her feet, desperately trying to suck air back into her lungs. At first, she hadn't a clue why her horse suddenly lost it but it wasn't long before the reason was terribly clear. Still, a ways off but approaching fast was a tall, wild-looking figure.

They were coming from the direction of the castle and somehow, somehow Yuki knew this man was undoubtedly the master of the castle she had trespassed in. Her previously intentions had been to find and thank the person who had let her stay but now she fearfully wondered if her presence hadn't been known to the man after all, because he looked enraged. His aura was dark and suffocating, and it seemed to envelop the grounds making them feel increasingly less vibrant. Her knees felt weak and distantly, Yuki realized she was trembling, as he drew nearer and she was able to make out his individual characteristics, she saw that enraged was an understatement for the amount of anger he displayed. His hands were clenched into fists, his posture was impossibly tense and his features were twisted into a snarl.

But what immediately caught Yuki's attention was his eyes, her own widening with horror as she saw them. His narrowed eyes burned a bright, angry red. There was only one creature Yuki knew that possessed those eyes, a creature she was familiar with but had never felt this fearful towards before. He was a vampire, but he wasn't a gentle, kind one like her dear brother, Yuki was sure this was the type of vampire her brother warned her to be aware of, the type that had no qualms about slaughtering or draining her of blood. Yuki wanted to run, to scream, to do anything, but her body refused to produce sound and her limbs were heavy and frozen with fear. In silent terror, Yuki was helpless to do anything but stand and watch as the vampire stalked closer and closer. It was only when he was mere feet away that Yuki was able to finally tear her feet up and stumble backward, only to trip over her dress and fall once more.

Looming over her, the man was a terrible figure. Yuki could have pictured him handsome (what vampire wasn't really?) but the wretched state of his fine clothes and the long, tangled, unkempt hair he had, paired with the untamed rage and hatred carved into his face made it impossible for him to look anything but insane and frightening. Unwittingly, a quiet whimper escaped Yuki's lips. Finally, with a voice colder than ice, the man spoke: "Is thievery usually how you repay those who welcome you into their homes?" His eyes glared into her, giving her the uneasy feeling that he was seeing right through her, and when the eyes didn't stare they flickered down to her bleeding finger, and that honestly worried her more. But despite the fear raging within her, Yuki still found herself bemused by his words and thought desperately back to her time in the castle, trying to find any event where she may have committed whatever act that made the man in front of her angry now. But apparently her confusion was showing clearly on her face and it seemed to anger the male more. "I am the lord of the castle you shamelessly entered yet despite that I received you as a guest. You're a thief that tried to steal my property and now you're cowering as though you're innocent! I fed you, I gave you a place to sleep but in return, you steal from me?!"

Still stricken with fear but desperate to defend and redeem herself in this clearly dangerous man's eyes, she began to stammer "P-Please sir! I meant no harm- I'm sorry- I thought that-that no one would ...care-" Sadly Yuki's words had the opposite effect she had wanted. "Are my roses so worthless in your eyes, girl, that you would assume they mean the same amount to me?" The vampire snarled. Flinching away, Yuki opened her mouth to plead innocence once more but the man interrupted before she could start. His red eyes burned darker and he said in a harsh voice "You should die here and now."

Staring up at his hard, unforgiving face, anything Yuki had intended to say died on her lips. Her pleas for mercy or insistence that she was innocent would not move this man. Whether or not he was overreacting to the fact that she tried to pick a rose did not matter, she was at his mercy and nothing she could say would change this clearly unstable man's point of view. In his eyes, she was a thief that had taken advantage of his kindness. So instead of begging for him to spare her or firmly insisting she was guiltless for picking a flower, she found herself suddenly think of her brother, Kaname had been so worried about her going on this trip and she knew it had taken so much out of him to watch her leave. _In the end, it seemed he had been right, she shouldn't have left,_ "Please forgive me, my lord…" she whispered softly "I had no bad intentions! But please, at least, before you kill me, let me return to my brother or allow me some way to tell him goodbye. I am all he has." The man's face didn't visibly change but something in his aura softened if only slightly. "If I allowed you to leave why should I believe that you would come back?" He growled.

Yuki forced herself to meet his red eyes and said with as much sincerity as she could, "If you let me see my brother, I promise to return and face whatever punishment you see fit." The vampire's eyes narrowed to slits and his face was so menacing that Yuki stiffened fearfully, "Take your horse and leave." He snapped, but before Yuki could relax with utter relief he continued darkly "But remember this; If you aren't back in three days, don't doubt that wherever you are; I can find you. And I will kill you and everyone with you, with far less mercy." Then, long cloak swirling, in a motion faster than Yuki could follow the vampire was stalking to her mare and reached it what seemed to be only a few strides. Equally as fast his hand shot out and gripped the panicking horse's reigns, the mare reared but the man was unfazed and avoided her hooves with ease.

Yuki sat stunned on the ground as this unfolded, staring in breathless silence. But it was barely a moment before the horse's resistance roused her and jerkily she stumbled to her feet and moved towards them. "Wait! You're scaring her!" Yuki cried, the vampire paid her no heed, and as soon as the horse's front feet met the ground again, Yuki was caught off guard by a swift arm circling her waist and practically throwing her onto the still jittery mare. There was no time for her to give even a yelp of surprise before the male also tossed her back the reins of the horse's bridle. Yuki lurched forward and just barely caught them, her petite hands fumbled with the leather for a moment, desperately trying to not let them slip through her fingers.

But when she finally got a good grip she clung to them like her life depended on it. And it was a good thing she did, because immediately after she seemed to gather her wits, the vampire gave her horse's flank a harsh slap, claws unintentionally raking the flesh. The mare shot forward like a bolt of lighting, letting out a whinny that sounded more like a scream, and ran towards the gates at top speed. Yuki gave an unintentional shriek of fear and when they were seconds away from crashing into the gate; closed her eyes. But the collision she braced herself for never came and the gates swung open just in time for them to gallop through.

Once again Yuki found herself on the path that had led them to the castle, except this time they were heading into the trees instead of out. Scenery passed them fast, but just before the trees completely blocked the castle from sight, Yuki was able to look back and catch one more glimpse of what lay beyond the large walls. The vampire stood exactly where he had been moments ago, gazing with bright unblinking red eyes. His gaze was heavy and even with the distance, Yuki felt it boring into her. It was only seconds before Yuki was forced to look away before him and back to the road ahead, but she knew that the vampire hadn't looked away at all, and likely wouldn't until she was long out of sight.

* * *

In Yuki's absence, Kaname rose early to water her flower garden for her, like he had promised to do before she left. When he was done he went silently on with the rest of his schedule and tried not to notice how eating alone was something he hadn't done in a very long time. He didn't miss it. Time dragged on at an unbearably slow pace, and yet somehow every task Kaname set out to do to distract himself was over in what felt like a matter of minutes. It was only now that he realized how much time he spent with only Yuki to keep him company, and his lack of friends, other relatives, and casual acquaintances had never been so sadly apparent.

It wasn't long before Kaname wasn't left with much to do, he couldn't even bring himself to read the book he was given from Takuma, without Yuki, so at last, he found himself sitting at the kitchen table, gazing at nothing. For a few long minutes, he sat there. Finally, with what was almost an air of defeat, Kaname stood and walked outside to the little flower beds that Yuki normally tended, and knelt in the dirt to pick weeds and whatever else Yuki did when needed. It was hot out so it wasn't long before Kaname found himself uncomfortably sweaty and strongly lamenting the fact that he hadn't even thought to change into something more gardening friendly. But it was too late now and he couldn't bring himself change, so he shrugged off his (very fine) coat and placed on a bench nearby (bought specifically because Yuki wanted somewhere to sit while enjoying the flowers) and kept working. It was actually rather fun, though Kaname wasn't fond of the dirt gathering underneath his fingernails and he swore he'd wear gloves next time as well. There seemed to be quite a few things he hadn't thought he'd need to garden but apparently did.

But Kaname genuinely found himself enjoying the chore, and while it did remind him of Yuki; it was in a comforting way. Quite unlike the painful silence and emptiness of moving around the house, trying to pretend her absence didn't affect him. Taking care of her garden, mimicking the things he had seen her do in it, made him remember that even if she was gone, traces of her remained and reminded him that she was coming back.

It had only been a day so Kaname knew it was a bit pathetic that he missed her so much already, he was obviously overreacting. But it was hard not to constantly notice she was gone when because she was, he was utterly alone. When their parents had died, Kaname felt it had happened just as fast, one day they were there, the next, Kaname with Yuki's help was packing up their things and sorting out the will. There had been so much to do at the time that the pure-blood resented the fact they had had no time to simply mourn their parents. He and the world had kept moving at the same pace as before-like nothing had changed- and Yuki had been forced to try and keep up.

Moving to the countryside was supposed to change all that, and to an extent, Kaname felt it had. But now Yuki wanted to go back to the city and even if it was just a visit, it forced Kaname to acknowledge how differently they both viewed their current life. Yuki wasn't like him, she was still so young, full of curiosity and life, she wanted to explore and enjoy the world. She wasn't tired of people like he was, she wanted to see and meet them. He was content to live comfortably in the small cottage for as long as life would allow, but Yuki wasn't and it would be selfish of Kaname to make her.

So with his blessing, he had allowed her to go on the trip and prayed it was the right thing to do, at least then the loneliness he felt was for her sake and therefore worth it. And he was convinced it was, Yuki had looked so excited that he knew she would have a wonderful time. At last, feeling _right_ about his decision, Kaname stood to brush off his dirtied clothes and he looked around at the flower garden with warm satisfaction. When Yuki returned she would find her flowers as cared for as she left them at least. ' _Perhaps she would let me join her while she gardens after she's come back.'_ he mused.

A loud sound noise suddenly pierced Kaname's sharp ears, drawing him immediately from his thoughts. It was the thundering sound of hooves. And it was so out of place and unexpected, that for a moment Kaname wasn't sure what to think or do. But the pure-blood wasn't known for floundering long if he did at all, so he turned quickly on his heel and swiftly strode to the front the cottage to meet whoever was riding like the devil was at their heels. The sight of his sister, looking worse for wear and horrified, riding her galloping horse steadily closer many days too early, was a sight he hadn't expected, one that filled him with shock and a foreboding feeling of fear mixed with dread.

* * *

 **I'm sorry about my absence. I've been quite busy and even now I'm exhausted and almost unwilling to even spare the energy to update. But I'm glad I finally have this up even if it's been a long time. It's not perfect but I believe it's passable (and I'm too lazy to completely rewrite everything), I hope you agree lol. What do you think of Zero? Is he insane enough? Or is anyone too out of character?**

 **Thank you everyone that reviews, favorites or follows. It means quite a bit to me and I love hearing what people think (whether their thoughts are positive or negative.**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: i dont own vampire knight (can you imagine though? I wouldnt even be concerned with making them gay, everyone woud be single, it wouldnt be a romance)

~Chapter 4~

Hope ballooned in Yuki's chest with enough force to make her gasp in almost hysteric relief as soon as a familiar cottage came into view, and the feeling only strengthened, twisting her frantically beating heart, when she caught sight of her brother. She hadn't even realized she'd been holding her breath but after seeing Kaname (perhaps feeling it was only now safe enough) finally her body was allowing air to enter again.

Yuki felt her head spin and ache after a few breaths as her body was once more provided much-needed oxygen. She was too weak to stop her horse in front of Kaname, but thankfully, he saw this in an instant and stepped in himself. Calming the mare and grabbing ahold of the reins while he gently hushed her.

Thankfully, this only took a few minutes and then Kaname's attention was back on Yuki. As gently as possible in his own anxious state, he pulled her out of the saddle and was asking her what had happened. Yuki couldn't answer him right away. For the first time since leaving the castle, she was taking in the fact that she was finally safe (at least for now). Yuki could feel herself physically collapse a little more into Kaname's chest as she practically deflated into a boneless state of relief.

Worry marring Kaname's handsome face, he pressed his lips together in a thin line. His grip on Yuki tightened and he pulled her closer to his chest, unconsciously trying to protect and shelter her from whatever unknown threat that had led her to dangerously racing home early, behaving as if the devil himself was on her heels.

Kaname glanced at the worn out horse standing a few feet away from his sister and him. The mare needed his attention as well but for now, Yuki was his priority. Taking swift steps, Kaname carried Yuki towards the house and with thankfully only a small amount of difficulty managed to open the door and bring her inside to lay on the couch.

Cuts covered her arms (a few small ones were scattered across her face as well) and though they didn't look deep, the presence of them and her disheveled state left him deeply displeased and uneasy. "Yuki, " he gently prodded, "Can you tell me what happened?" she didn't seem to register his question at first but after a moment she blinked, finally looking up to gaze into his face wrinkled with concern. "Are you okay?" he continued, "Where are Aido and the others?"

'Are you okay?' _No... no, she wasn't._ For some reason, the question brought the sudden sting of tears to Yuki's eyes and any efforts to hold them back just made a sob rise up faster in her throat. Her fists squeezing his shirt trembled and she buried her face into his shoulder before beginning to cry in earnest. All the stress and fear had finally caught up with her and she let the emotion out with wet, loud sobbing. Kaname could only hopelessly hold her, waiting it out while rubbing soothing circles on her back. The tears urged him to assume the worst but he forced himself to remain calm and focus on comforting Yuki.

Finally, her wails died down into soft hiccups and shudders. Kaname desperately wanted to know what had led up to their current state but he didn't risk asking her again, instead, he stroked her hair and whispered soft reassurances. When her breathing was quiet and regular at last she reluctantly lifted her head and faced him. "I'm sorry." Was the first thing she whispered.

Kaname's eyebrows rose in immediate surprise. "Why should you be sorry?" he asked, a little bemused. There were a lot of things Yuki felt she should be sorry for at that moment, but she settled on pointing out the most current and least serious thing by gesturing towards the snot and tears she had gotten on Kaname's shirt. A smile flickered over Kaname's features but he assured her it was fine before once more, quietly and hesitantly asking if she was okay.

Shakily Yuki nodded then stared down at her hands clutched in her lap. She had to tell him what happened. But where to even begin? She licked her lips and opened her mouth. When the only thing that left It was a small, awkward noise, she chickened out and fell silent again.

In a moment of sudden clarity, Kaname chastised himself for not realizing Yuki clearly wasn't ready to talk about what had gone wrong during the trip, yet. It was natural, it was what you were supposed to expect and prepare for in situations like this. Not to mention Yuki was visibly too shaken to gather her thoughts. He had been too distracted by his concern to consider this and he'd lost his normally clear head. If he had acted as rationally as he usually did, he would have drawn that conclusion sooner.

Deciding to give Yuki more time to compose herself, gently Kaname patted his sister's hand and rose from the couch, "I will go tend to the mare outside, you can tell me what happened when I come back." With a purposefully soothing voice, he added: "Stay here and rest, you look exhausted."

Gratefully, Yuki did as Kaname suggested and laid down, gazing at the back of him until he was out of sight. Kaname's observation had been correct, even though she slept for at least a good six hours in an admittedly very comfortable bed, she was tired.

 _'Were Aido_ _and the others looking for her?'_ they must have noticed she was gone, even if it wasn't until the fog had cleared. How long would they look before eventually contacting Kaname? Of course, she was back home now and undoubtedly her brother would write to them himself to let them know she was safe. At least for now.

Cold, claw-like fingers seized her heart and unwittingly Yuki folded further into herself, her breathing quickening a little as the pace of her heartbeats rapidly picked up. Could the creature really find her? Would he really kill her brother as well as her if he did? Yes. Yuki knew that was the correct answer, but she desperately, pathetically wished it wasn't.

The horror of it had tears of both despair and fear welling up in her eyes again. And for a moment she was ready to fall into another fit of despairing sobs. But Yuki wiped away the salt water before it could fall and clenched her teeth. She couldn't start crying again, she had to pull it together and tell Kaname about the vampire once he came back inside.

' _Who knows? Maybe he can think of some way out of this terrible mess I've had gotten us into.'_ Yuki thought miserably _._

* * *

A large, velvety, crimson chair (the type that you could sink into and feel as though you were being swallowed up by a plush blanket) sat just shy of the middle of a room (one on the smaller side) and in front of a sturdy, hand-carved table. The room wasn't cramped despite it's size and the several bookcases it held, in fact, it would have been a comfortable and inviting little library if it wasn't for the fact that along with being covered in grime and dust; the only undamaged pieces of furniture were the bookcases, table, and chair. The rest of the room was littered with broken objects and furniture, some wrecked beyond recognition. Though, in the dim light, it would have been hard to place them anyway. All in all, rather than inviting, the room was haunting.

The crimson chair was the only thing with a clean surface, and in it, hunched over, sat a disheveled Prince. He held a small, square mirror in his hands. There was nothing very special to be found in the mirror's appearance, in fact, it looked significantly less expensive than any other item found in the castle. Yet the Prince held it gently, running his fingers over Its surface, turning it over and over in his hands. His movements were obsessive yet he appeared completely unaware of what he was doing.

It would have been difficult for others to make out the prince in the darkness of the room but the dimness did nothing to hinder the man's own sight; a blessing and a curse that had followed becoming a vampire. Ninety-eight (nearly nine at this point) years had passed since Zero was turned by the enchantress, and it had been a long time since he'd given up hope of being human again.

Not that Zero had felt much hope in the beginning. Yes, at first he may have clung to her words in spite of his own doubts, zealously waited for a lost traveler to stumble into his castle. He didn't have the slightest experience with romantic love and it had been quite a while since the last time he'd been familiar with platonic, but he'd been certain it would happen one way or another if the enchantress said it must. Too late he realized how idiotic it was to think the enchantress had any intention- any true desire to see him break the curse.

Just a few days ago (two to be precise), for a good few minutes Zero thought he was hallucinating when he heard a young girl shouting. It wouldn't be the first time he heard voices floating through halls only to find it was his own thoughts- but no, this time it was real. And when he'd realized that, his heart leaped with a strange, forgotten feeling into his throat, choking him yet somehow also pumping life into his weary limbs. It beat so wildly Zero wondered for a split second whether he was afraid or excited.

Despite the strong reaction the girl had drawn from him, Zero found strength and caution enough to hold himself back. He hadn't wanted to show himself to her, not yet at least, so he waited until he was sure she was sleeping before daring to creep into the guest bedroom she had collapsed in. Naturally, Zero only meant to get a glimpse of her.

Truth be told Zero hadn't seen a girl in a very long time. Even before the curse, he was pretty sure he had only seen a few besides his mother and servants. But this brunette reminded Zero strongly (despite how long ago it was) of the princesses found only in books his mother or nursemaid used to read to him and his brother.

Her hair was long and fell in wavy ringlets. It was beautiful even messy like it was and Zero had to stop himself from touching the silky locks of hair more than once, heartily ashamed of himself for wanting to. Her skin was pearly white, smooth and appealing; very much the opposite of his. They both possessed pale skin yet hers was lovely and dusted with a hint of rosy pink, particularly in her cheeks. Zero's skin looked like it had been sucked of all life. It was a shade of white you could only find In death. He couldn't stand the sight of it.

The girl, on the other hand, was a vision in Zero's eyes. He'd never thought much on the subject of angels, but this girl was undoubtedly what the pure, ethereal beings must look like. Zero had no right to ask her to stay and break his curse. But oh how he wanted her to. Looking at her peaceful face as she slept made something twist painfully inside him. It ached and cried, reminding him of how empty he'd felt since the very night his family was brutally murdered.

Zero was lonely. That was to be expected when you lived in solitude for decades. But Zero's loneliness extended past and from before that. You could argue that he hadn't been entirely alone after the death of his family, he'd still had the servants of his castle, some who'd served his family their entire lives. But even surrounded by them, he was isolated. And he crept into himself further, steadily forming a thicker and thicker cocoon of anger, indifference, and hatred around himself, a wall one no one could penetrate. Zero had been painfully alone years before the curse.

There were times this loneliness overwhelmed and sent Zero into dark, painful places. Places he thought he'd never again emerge from. Places that had taken every ounce of physical and mental strength in his mind and body to escape from. Then there were the times his loneliness was so muted, drowned out by every method possible; it was a numbed, forgotten thing in the back of his mind. Weighing down his subconscious, biding it's time and waiting to return with vengeance. At the time, Zero hadn't been able to decide which situation was worse. Now, looking down at this mysterious girl, he realized this very moment dug into him more painfully than either one ever had.

For a long time, Zero chose to sit and wistfully watch her. Almost physically unable to look away, he felt transfixed. Zero watched until his curse had reared its disgusting head and made him feel a pang of unnatural thirst.

Unintentionally Zero's eyes flickered (In an almost magnetically drawn way) to her throat. The most vulnerable part of her body, where blood flowed in abundance. An instinctual reaction like this couldn't be helped from a vampire, especially from one that had never tasted or even smelt human blood, but even a rational argument based on perfect logic could do nothing to stop the following wave of self-disgust and horror that washed over Zero when a trickle of want, a hint of a suggestion, almost immediately dried his throat with thirst and parted his lips in the subconscious desire to drink in more of her delicate scent.

For a moment, Zero was numb. Then he jerked back in fear, covering both his nose and mouth to block out the siren song that sang out to him from her blood. The craving that filled him at that moment was too strong to take any chances; in seconds the Prince had fled the room. Then, to be safe, the entire castle.

* * *

To distract himself further, Zero found himself tending to the human girl's horse personally. In any other situation, it wasn't a task he'd willingly seek out, but at the moment he was desperate. Anything was a welcome distraction, as long as it got him away from the devil-red, nearly sinful substance that flowed In his guest's veins. It wasn't an easy task, Zero found that the animal refused to even let him approach unless he significantly muted his aura. Without much practice, it was surprisingly difficult to get the hang of, but after a good hour of trial and error, he managed. The same could be repeated to describe how well a job he did tending the horse Itself.

The animal's reaction to him wasn't wholly unexpected. Zero was sated (not satisfied but sated) by the blood of animals in the forest every few weeks and they didn't react favorably to his presence, to say the least. That being said, Zero had never been certain whether it was because of his "beast" or merely that they were untamed and simply reacting to a predator, not necessarily a supernatural one. Well, he had his answer now. It was a shame, he used to love animals.

Finally, when Zero felt he'd reigned in the worst of his thirst, he allowed himself to reenter the castle. Still erring on the side of caution, he retreated to rooms furthest from her's. The incident had thoroughly shaken Zero. Since becoming a vampire he hadn't met more than two humans and those he had never gotten near enough to smell.

Lusting for the blood of humans was new to Zero, and it scared him. Of course, he knew that vampires desired human blood above all others (barring the pureblood possessed by pure vampires), and whether Zero liked it or not he was a vampire, so on some level, he understood that someday if he met a human, he would as well. He knew this yet he had still been woefully unprepared for the experience. Viciously, Zero was reminded that he was a monster and little more, his weakness that evening was testimony enough.

Suddenly it less certain to Zero whether or not he would be able to control himself in the future. Yes, there were periods of time that Zero had starved himself of blood in, and sometimes in those periods, when he finally snapped and worked himself up into such a state of desperation and hunger, he would come close to almost blacking out while feeding. Yet he couldn't honestly say that he had ever felt a craving as strong as the brief one he had experienced near the human girl. Would he be able to resist if she bled? Or would he brutally murder the angel that slept blissfully unaware of the beast she was currently residing with? If the human girl was killed by his hands, Zero knew he would never recover. It couldn't be risked, so he let her leave in the morning without a word, convincing himself to not even show his face lest her scent tempted him to do something he might regret.

It was definitely for the best. It was the right thing to do. But the decision still left Zero feeling heavy and sick to his stomach with yearning. It was one of the hardest things he had ever done. Zero tried to reason with himself, attempting to ease the regret he felt. Somehow it wouldn't feel so depressing if he thought about it in the right light… right?

It wasn't as though the girl would have stayed if Zero had asked. She could be married or at the very least (that Is to say almost definitely) have a family. If any rational person thought a fellow rational person would take up residence in hell for a total stranger they weren't rational and were, in fact, an idiot. And that was essentially what he would be asking of her.

She would have likely been horrified by the sight of Zero alone. He had heard in stories whispered by maids, that turned vampires were as horrific as natural born vampires were beautiful. He hadn't looked in a mirror since the day he'd been cursed (most that resided in vicinities he frequented were broken, courtesy of himself) but he felt disgusting enough in his own skin to know that he didn't look a thing like how he used to, years and years ago.

As a prince, Zero had been raised like one. He didn't have a clue how to cut his own hair and he'd spent the past years too consumed by misery and steadily growing madness to pay attention to his appearance. So his hair grew longer and longer until it would have been at his knees if it weren't a wild, tangled mess that made him look more deranged than he actually was. By some miracle, he actually bothered to bathe but this did nothing for rat's nest his hair had become, considering he never brushed it out. In addition, the few sets of his expensive clothing he bothered rotating through were tattered from the continual use. He never bothered to change a piece of clothing with another until it was worn down to rags. All in all, Zero looked every bit like the savage, bloodsucking monster he saw vampires as.

So the girl left in blissful ignorance of the vampire in whose cursed castle she stayed. Or at least she would have, if not for a single, sharp thorn her finger found as It sought to pluck a rose as red as the drop of blood that fell when she was pricked.

As if by some curse as potent as the one laid on Zero, the scent of that single drop of blood carried through a window carelessly left open to catch one last glimpse of the girl and to the sensitive, almost unmatched nose of a vampire. Zero could barely remember that moment his senses were filled by even such a small whiff of the human's blood. He lost himself, his mind and all reason he possessed. The crushing grip of self-control he kept around himself was almost immovable, but like a foreign disease wipes out the natives of an unprepared land; Zero was weak and inexperienced with the seductive hold this scent had over him and all his kind.

It took seconds to silently yet swiftly vacate the castle; Zero had no need to bother with stairs when he could simply leap out a window and rise unharmed. So deadly was his advantage as a vampire- had he been aware of and in control of himself, he would have been able to successfully bury his fangs in and drain the girl before she'd known the danger she'd been in. Even just following his instincts, he was an unmatched, apex predator. Fortunately, Zero was not in control of himself and was in no statute to plan and exact a perfect attack. And had he been, he would have stopped himself before long before he'd begun. No, Zero's mind was in a dark, blurry haze. Here he had no power to resist fundamental urges and the vampire side of his being had free reign to rape his rational thought and free will.

Unsteadily, Zero stalked forward. His movements were faintly rough and lacked control as if he was being dragged forward by some unseen force, but behind them was clear unbridled power. _'Blood'_ was the only thought that his clouded mind could grasp and it fueled the continuous stream of fog that muddied his reason.

Beneath the surface, a part of Zero struggled. Something wasn't right. Distaste lazily uncurled inside of him and It furrowed the rest of Zero til his insides were cringing in the desire to escape whatever It was he was doing. Had he chosen this? So drunk on desire; half of him wasn't even sure what he was fighting. Yet he still fought. Weakly, but determinedly.

It was only when Zero was close enough to clearly see the figure of the girl he'd spent what had felt like a long, bittersweet day gazing at last night, that he regained enough ground to momentarily reclaim his mind. Horror had hardly any time to touch him before, all too soon, he was slipping back and close to losing the leverage he'd gained. Being in such close quarters with the (although barely) bleeding girl was almost unbearably tempting. Zero searched desperately for an anchor, grasping for any thought not focused on the scent of blood and in turn, his thirst for it.

 _'My roses'_ a small part of Zero's mind whispered in passing, after briefly noting the rose she held. It was such a small thought, one that zipped by nearly unnoticed. But it was laced with a small hint of irritation and that was what caught Zero's eye.

 _'She slept_ _In_ _my_ _rooms, she ate_ _my food,_ _who_ _was_ _she_ _to_ _disturb my garden?'_ it continued with the encouragement of being considered. It was petty but the indignation Zero felt over the small slight was just the distraction he needed. If there was anything more loathsome than vampires in his eyes, it was all that was deceitful, self-important, and selfish. The thought of being wrong about the character of the girl and thus taken advantage of infuriated Zero.

 _That_ _was_ _perfect._ Reaching greedily out, the Prince wound his hands around these angry thoughts, letting them ground yet consume him. Embracing the frustration he found himself being filled with and latching onto the train of thought that was sparked by it, caused genuine sparks of rage to fly into Zero's eyes. And he fanned those sparks into an inferno.

* * *

 **I should mention that i've rewritten the first two chapters and plan to rewrite the rest. You don't have to reread them though i personally would advise it. im sorry its been a while. As always the chapter is overthought and will probably need rewritten later too (tho i hope not). i thought it would be a good idea to include Zero's pov to perhaps show why he flipped his lid and stuff, be sure to tell me what you think haha**

 **i love reviews, good or bad, so thank you to everyone that leaves them . if you have any advice feel free to give it, id love to improve or unload all the issues im worried about my story having onto you lol**

 **thanks for reading!**


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